In Jordan discovered a mysterious ancient monument

11.06.2016

Using satellite data, the archaeologists were able to find near the ancient city of Petra, the monumental sculpture, which, according to preliminary estimates of experts, makes more than 2150 years. Still in the area similar structures of this period are not found, the researchers note.

photo: AP

By studying the images taken by satellites, scientists came to the conclusion that near Petra in the Sands is buried a two-stage platform, the “external” part which has a size of 56 to 49 meters. The internal platform was lined with stone slabs. On one side of it, in all probability, was the column, and on the other a huge ladder, writes The Guardian.

Over the inner platform towered building, covers an area of about 8.5 by 8.5 meters. That her age is more than two millennia, according to results of Dating discovered with her pottery shards.

Archaeologists say that they discovered the monument for Petra is not typical — this city is known mainly buildings, carved directly into the rocks. Also a curious feature scientists call the fact that the stairs led not to the city center.

Their study, the researchers presented on the pages of scientific editions of the Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research.

Petra — an ancient city in modern-day Jordan since 1985, is included in the list of cultural world heritage sites of UNESCO. In the past this city was very rich because it was located at the crossroads of two major trade routes, one of which connected the Red sea with Damascus and the other Persian Gulf with Gaza at the coast of the Mediterranean sea.

Recently, another group of archaeologists expressed his version of history even more ancient structures of Stonehenge. As specialists suggest, the original monument was a tombstone in Wales, and later the ancient Welsh took it with him in Wiltshire, in order to maintain a symbolic connection with ancestors.